A glove is typically an open-ended fitted covering for a user's hand. The edge at the open end of the covering defines an opening of the glove. The opening of the glove typically provides the entry to the inside of the glove for the user's hand such that the user's hand can be put in the glove. When the user's hand is in the glove, the opening of the glove is then typically substantially occupied by the wrist or forearm of the user and the edge of the covering that defines the opening embraces the user's wrist or forearm, thus enclosing the user's hand in the glove.
The main purpose of the glove is to keep the user's hand warm without sacrificing dexterity. Therefore, it is important that the bottom edge of the glove that defines the opening tightly embraces the user's wrist or forearm such that the glove can be secured on the user's hand. This causes the warm air to be contained inside the glove and prevents cold air, snow, etc., from getting inside the glove.
One prior approach to securing the glove on the user's hand is to provide an elastic cuff at the bottom edge of the glove. When the user's hand is entering the glove via the opening, the elastic cuff is forced to expand to allow the user's hand into the glove. When the user's hand is settled in the glove, the elastic cuff tightly encircles the user's wrist and forearm.
One disadvantage of this prior approach is that the elasticity of the elastic cuff decreases over the time that the glove is used. When the elastic cuff is losing its elasticity, the opening formed by the elastic cuff is becoming bigger and bigger and will not tightly embrace the user's wrist and forearm when the user's hand is in the glove.
Another disadvantage is that putting on such a glove with a "gloved-hand" is difficult because of the reduced dexterity of the gloved-hand and because of the tensioned elastic opening at the bottom edge of the glove.
Another prior approach to securing the glove on the user's hand is to provide a belt with a buckle at the bottom edge of the glove. When the user's hand is in the glove, the buckle closes and therefore fastens the belt. This then causes the bottom edge of the glove to tightly embrace the user's wrist or forearm, thus tightly securing the glove on the user's hand.
Disadvantages are also associated with this prior approach. One disadvantage of this prior approach is that it is typically difficult and inconvenient to adjust the length of the belt and operate the buckle with one hand.
Another prior approach to securing the glove on the user's hand is to provide a drawstring at the bottom edge of the glove and a cord lock to releasably lock the drawstring. FIG. 1 shows this prior approach.
In FIG. 1, a glove 10 is shown which includes a main portion 11 and a casing 14 at the open end of main portion 11. Casing 14 defines an opening 12 through which the user's hand enters glove 10. Casing 14 typically includes a circular tunnel (not shown) and an eyelet 15 for providing a pathway from the tunnel to the outside of casing 14. In addition, casing 14 may simply include a circular tunnel with a sewed opening.
A drawstring 13 runs through the tunnel of casing 14. Drawstring 13 is typically an elastic drawstring. The two ends of drawstring 13 extend out of the tunnel through an inner hole 21 of eyelet 15. A cord lock 17 is provided which includes two inner holes 18 and 20. The two ends of drawstring 13 also extend through inner hole 20 of cord lock 17. The two ends of drawstring 13 are then tied together in a pad 16 to prevent drawstring 13 from being accidentally retreated into the tunnel of casing 14 via hole 20 of cord lock 17 and hole 21 of eyelet 15. A spring loaded lock (not shown) is located inside hole 20. The lock snatches drawstring 13. The snatch of the lock at drawstring 13 prevents drawstring 13 from moving freely. A release button 19 is also provided in cord lock 17 to release the lock inside hole 20. Release button 19, when being pressed toward hole 20, releases the lock and drawstring 13 is allowed to move freely. When the force applied to release button 19 is removed, release button 19 returns to its initial position and the lock inside hole 20 snatches drawstring 13 again.
A cord 22 is also provided. Cord 22 extends through hole 18 of cord lock 17. The two ends of cord 22 are then sewed into main portion 11 of glove to form a closed loop. The purpose of cord 22 is to stop cord lock 17 from moving away from eyelet 15 when drawstring 13 is pulled away from eyelet 15. Cord 22 also maintains cord lock 17 within a predetermined distance from eyelet 15. Therefore, due to cord 22, drawstring 13 passes through cord lock 17 when an external force is applied to pull drawstring 13. Cord lock 17 allows the user to secure and release of glove 10 with one hand.
Opening 12 of glove 10 is typically initially at its maximum open capacity. When the user's hand enters glove 10 via opening 12, an external force is typically provided by the other hand of the user at pad 16 to pull drawstring 13 out. This tightens opening 12 which results in casing 14 tightly embraces the user's wrist or forearm to secure glove 10 on the user's hand. Due to cord 22, cord lock 17 will not move with drawstring 13 when the force is used to pull drawstring 13. When the external force is removed from pad 16, the lock inside cord lock 17 prevents drawstring 13 from moving back into casing 14. When the external force is applied to release button 19, the lock inside hole 20 is pushed away from engaging drawstring 13. This unlocks drawstring 13 and allows it to move freely.
Disadvantages are still associated with this prior approach. One disadvantage associated is that cord lock 17 is attached to glove 10 by cord 22 outside casing 14 and does not form an integrated part of glove 10. This causes cord lock 17 to dangle outside glove 10 which sometimes may be very intrusive to the user. In addition, it is also possible for cord lock 17 to freeze with snow and/or ice and therefore become inoperative.
Another disadvantage associated is that cord 22 may be accidentally entangled by or entwined with external objects since the cord forms a closed loop itself external to the outer surface of glove 10. The closed loop may relatively easily catch external objects. This problem is potentially hazardous to the user. Moreover, this may cause cord 22 to break. When cord 22 is broken, cord lock 17 cannot be kept within the predetermined distance from eyelet 15 and will not help to tightly secure glove 10 on the user's hand. If cord 22 is broken, drawstring 13 cannot be used to secure glove 10 by one hand.